The Pidurangala Rock is a wonderful sight of Sri Lanka. A giant rock in the middle of an otherwise flat land. It’s a less popular spot located just on the opposite side of the famous Sigiriya Lion Rock. If you loved climbing the Lion Rock or would like a cheaper alternative, hike the Pidurangala Rock for sunset. The colours from above the jungle with astonishing 360 degrees views all around the area and on the Lion Rock are truly breathtaking. 

The Pidurangala Rock

The Pidurangala Rock doesn’t have any infrastructure except a ticket booth located at the base. The entrance is located in front of the Pidurangala Sigiriya Rajamaha Viharaya temple. 

↬ TIP : Bring a shawl to cover your shoulders as the path to the top of the rock passes through a Buddhist temple. If you forget one, don’t worry: you can rent it at the entrance.

The Hike

From the temple, just follow the path up. The hike is rather easy for most parts and gets just a little tricky towards the end. Halfway through the hike, you will reach the Pidurangala Temple. There are only few remains of this Royal Cave Temple, but a huge statue of reclining Buddha still lays inside. 

Back on the path after a few minutes you’ll reach the “tricky” part of the hike. Here, you must push yourself up a few rocks and pass a narrow split (only 1 person at the time can fit, so it might happen that there will be a queue). It’s the same way up and down. If you are in basic fit conditions you won’t have any difficulties. The hike all the way up the Pidurangala Rock took us about 30 min. 

↬ TIP : If you want to hike the rock at sunset make sure to arrive before 4 PM as the tickets are sold only until that hour.

The Top

Once you reach the top make sure to walk all the way around the rock for the incredible panoramic views. It’s worth arriving when there is still some daylight left. Like this you will be able to take a few amazing shots of the Lion Rock. 

↬ Read : Visit the Cultural Triangle – Sri Lanka’s Most Important Sites

Watching the sunset from Pidurangala Rock is a popular thing to do. There were many other tourists, but as the rock is big, we were all spread out. Everybody could find a perfect spot for themselves.

↬ TIP : If you plan to stay for sunset take a flashlight or make sure your phone has enough battery to use the built in one. The path down is not lit. Alternatively, leave when there is still daylight left.

Practical Info

Opening Hours

The Pidurangala Rock is open from 5AM–4PM. This means that the tickets are sold within these hours. However, you can walk down after the closing time. 

The Entrance Ticket

The entrance fee is 500 LRK (2.5 EUR)

Best Time to Visit

The Pidurangala Rock is most impressive during sunrise and sunset. However, you can visit any time during the day. Best in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the heat.

What to Bring

Make sure to wear comfortable (best covered) shoes and bring with you a bottle of water.

↬ Read : Simple hacks to being Eco Friendly while Traveling

PS ❤️ : Sorry for the lack of diversity of pictures on this post… our camera died before sunset ! Oupsi ! ??‍♀️??‍♂️